Story of the Slot Machine

In my opinion slots is a curse of modern casino. Alongside with such games as poker, roulette, blackjack, that by the right it is possible to name Classical Gamblings, slots seems to me defective, not noteworthy. Nevertheless according to statistics 50 % of the income of a casino receives from them. So in several following posts I would like to mention slots theme.

History

In 1894, Charles Fey, a San Francisco inventor, designed a mechanized reel machine he called a slot machine. This first of its kind he named the Liberty Bell. The machine featured three metal reels with an number of matching symbols including a Liberty Bell along the outer edges of the reels. A lever spun the reels when pulled.

Early Twentieth Century

During the early 1900s, the Mills Company of Chicago manufactured thousands of the new slot machines. Their cases were made from cast iron and wood. A bell was added to signal when the machine’s reels matched. By the 1930s the machines were being painted in brighter and more daring colors and designed around whimsical or social themes of the day. The brighter and more flamboyant or patriotic, the more attractive the games were. The machine cabinets were changed to wood, too, a more economical material.

Las Vegas

In the 1940s, Bugsy Segal decided to add the popular machines to his Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Though he intended the slots to be trivial entertainment, Segal soon observed they attracted many more gamblers than he had expected. Unexpectedly, slot machines took over the casinos. Casino owners added increasing numbers of them until they far outnumbered the other traditional casino games.
The machines were bright and lively, inexpensive and easy to use. Besides the ease of use, the slots occasionally paid out with crowd-pleasing showers of coins.
Slot machines did not change much during the middle of the twentieth century. They continued to draw millions to casinos. Famous legends surrounded their mysterious operation and elusive pay outs.

Electronic Era

There was another marked rise in popularity again, in the 1990s. During this time many of the slots changed to electronic, or software-based, if they had not already. Electronic machines replaced levers with push buttons and touch screens, but the reels remained. The machines have grown in sophistication, too. Manufacturers, bent on engaging customers, have added more reels and programmed various machines to pay out across multiple lines. There are also progressive slots. Progressive machines nurture a bigger jackpot as play goes on. Attractive though these may be, big jackpots are infrequent.

The Myth of Slots

Over the years, supposed experts have claimed to hold the secret to winning at slots. Slot machines, though, are exclusively marketed as games of chance and luck. Electronic machines operate with a random number generator, a complex computer algorithm that continually is designed to pluck numbers out of thin cyber-air.

Statistics of USA gamblers

Gambling association of the USA with assistance of corporation "Harrah", companies "Roper ASW" and "NFO WorldGroup", has published results of sociological research of national gambling preferences. A subject of studying was communication between gambling habits of inhabitants of the USA and their income, age, formation, etc. attempt to make a portrait of the typical player of the USA for the first time has been across the nation undertaken and to characterize its style of a life.
Experts asked to participants of interrogation provocative enough questions concerning their financial investments, private life, favourite gambling, preferences in meal, etc. In opinion of many gambling experts, published statistical data completely change the concept of development of the gambling industry in the USA as carried out research discredits the basic myths which have developed in this branch of the industry. All habitual stereotypes of perception of regular customers of the casinos entering, ostensibly, in group of risk as more all subject to various social problems, have simply failed. It was found out, that players of a casino surpass not playing population of America on many major parameters: they are more stable in the financial attitude and more responsible by way of social realization.

Attendance of casinos

It has been established, that in 2002 more than 50 million have undertaken 300 million trips to a casino of this country, 26 % of all adult population of the country (51.2 million person) even 1 time played in a casino. Players visited a casino approximately time in two months, i.e. 5.8 trips to year.

Gambling demography

More than 1/3 of all trips to a casino have been fixed in five regular staffs: on the first place - California (17 %), further there is Illinois, Nevada, New York and Michigan. The greatest attendance of gambling houses is noted in the West and the North of the USA.

The basic characteristics of the typical casino player

During studying a contingent of the players visiting gambling houses of the USA, it was found out, that the average income of this category of the population on 20 % above the average income as a whole on the country and is equal 50 716 $. Americans with greater revenues spend for a casino more, than other groups of players. Among the population with incomes above 95 000 $ - 34 % play a casino. While among the population with incomes less than 35 000 $ plays only 21 %.
The basic characteristics of the typical player of a casino - the woman of middle age. Middle age of the player - 47 years. The biggest percent of players (30 %) concerns to age group from 51 till 65 years.
46 % of players are so-called " white collarets ", i.e. have "pure" work: as a rule, it is office employees, clerks, etc. Analysis of a financial condition of players of a casino has shown, that they are more competent investors in comparison with other inhabitants of the country, their portfolios in many respects differ equation and rational distribution of risks.
Players of a casino prefer actions of large state corporations and shares in mutual financial funds. The main feature of players in comparison with other population is that they, as a rule, take all share of the responsibility for a portfolio of investments on themselves or divide it with members of family. Not playing Americans, basically, trust these functions to experts.
Style of a life of gambler
During research of analytics have found out, that players of a casino are more active, mobile and inclined to risk. It is More than half - 51 % of all players of the country go to entertaining institutions, at least, 2 times a week, among the usual population this parameter is equal 37 %.
Playing inhabitants of America prefer to have dinner outside of the house, the average of monthly dinners at restaurant has made 7.6. Besides players of a casino travel more, leave on various picnics, go to campaigns, visit resorts. On all to these parameters players of a casino considerably advance other population of the country. As it was found out, nonplaying inhabitants of the USA save on rest and entertainments more. The most popular term of holiday for playing Americans - 5 days + road.
In spite of the fact that players do not consider money if business concerns rest or purchase of the new car, their consumer habits are more selective in comparison with the others. Players prefer to go behind purchases to the most favourable shops and to get the goods with an ideal parity the price-quality. The majority of players uses coupons, discount cards and prefers purchases by the gross.
As it has appeared, players of a casino are less religious in comparison with not playing Americans, but for that are more romantic and are amorous. 50 % of players have informed on romantic appointment for last month, among other population this parameter is equal 40 %.
The most part of players prefers the top floors of a casino with a kind on hotel. A favourite suit of Americans - spades , on the second place - blame. A favourite song of all players, more all corresponding an atmosphere of game, " Viva Las Vegas ". A favourite drink during game - aerated water (36 % of players have supported it). The most preferable symbol slots - "cherries". The most popular among players of a casino are slots and other electronic devices: 74 % of Americans prefer slots and video poker. 14 % of players have expressed in favour of desktop gamblings , especially Black Jack.
Gambling preferences depending on a gender are differentiated as follows: women prefer slots, men - Black Jack.